This is the second post of five in the Summer Series. The first post was Water often and Water at Night, Watch for our post on stopping basil from bolting, using shade cloth and gardening in the morning.

Here in zone 9 we experience very hot summers. There are many vegetables that will not grow and many just die in the heat of our summers. So I have come up with a short list of some vegetables that do well in the heat of a zone 9 summers.

Cow Peas (Black Eyed Peas)

Cow Peas are an easy to grow and low maintenance summer crop. They are prolific and quite tasty. Black Eyed Peas are use in many recipes, and rightfully so.

Egg Plant

Egg Plant is one of the easiest summer vegetables to grow. It requires very little work and the results are quite rewarding! Eggplant can be used in many recopies and eaten alone as a meal itself.

Okra

Okra grows very well in the heat and can produce quite a bit of fruit in the summer. Sliced and fried, in a pan or deep fried, Okra is a delicious side dish.

Peanuts

Grown underground so the heat does not affect the peanut the same as many other vegetables grown at home. One of the lowest maintenance plants in the summer garden.

Peppers

Many types of peppers will thrive in a zone 9 summers. Bell peppers do okay but hot peppers do great. Grow and preserve the peppers in summer for a hot winter!

Sweet Potatoes

Like the peanut they grow underground so the heat does not affect them as much. In zone 9 the smaller verities do better, but they make up for small size with large harvests.